Current post-mix beverage dispensing nozzles generally mix streams of syrup, concentrate, sweetener, bonus flavors, other types of flavoring, and other ingredients with water or other types of diluent by flowing the syrup stream down the center of the nozzle with the water stream flowing around the outside. The syrup stream is directed downward with the water stream such that the streams mix as they fall into a consumer's cup.
There is a desire for a beverage dispensing system as a whole to provide as many different types and flavors of beverages as may be possible in a footprint that may be as small as possible. Preferably, such a beverage dispensing system may provide as many beverages as may be available on the market in prepackaged bottles, cans, or other types of containers.
In order to accommodate this variety, the dispensing nozzles need to accommodate fluids with different viscosities, flow rates, mixing ratios, temperatures, and other variables. Current dispensing nozzle assemblies may not be able to accommodate multiple beverages with a single nozzle design and/or the dispensing nozzle assembly may be designed for specific types of fluid flow. One known means of accommodating differing flow characteristics is shown in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,383,966 that describes the use of replaceable fluid modules that are sized and shaped for specific flow characteristics. U.S. Pat. No. 7,383,966 is incorporated herein by reference in full. Even more variety and more fluid streams may be employed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,578,415 that shows the use of a number of tertiary flow assemblies. U.S. Pat. No. 7,578,415 also is incorporated herein by reference in full.
Recent improvements in beverage dispensing technology have focused on the use of micro-ingredients. With micro-ingredients, the traditional beverage bases may be separated into their constituent parts at much higher dilution or reconstitution ratios. These micro-ingredients then may be stored in much smaller packages and stored closer to, adjacent to, or within the beverage dispenser itself. The beverage dispenser preferably may provide the consumer with multiple beverage options as well as the ability to customize the beverage as desired.
Beverage dispensers incorporating such highly concentrated micro-ingredients have proven to be highly popular with consumers. One example of the use of such micro-ingredients is shown in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,896 to Carpenter, et al., entitled “BEVERAGE DISPENSING SYSTEM.” U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,896 is incorporated herein by reference herein in full. Such a dispenser thus employs the use of a dispensing nozzle assembly that can accommodate multiple streams of micro-ingredients as well as streams of macro-ingredients such as sweeteners and diluent. Such a dispensing nozzle assembly is shown in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,509. U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,509 is incorporated herein by reference in full. Likewise, such micro-ingredient technology is incorporated in the highly popular “FREESTYLE®” refrigerated beverage dispensing units provided by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Ga. The “FREESTYLE®” refrigerated beverage dispensing units can dispense over 125 brands without the need for extensive storage space.
There is thus a desire for a dispensing nozzle assembly to accommodate even more and different types of fluids that may pass there through. The dispensing nozzle assembly preferably may accommodate this variety while still providing good mixing and easy cleaning.